Velocipede noisemaker

ABSTRACT

A noisemaker for attachment to the frame of a velocipede. A reed engages the spokes of a wheel and is held in place by fingers which partially encircle the frame. The fingers are held in place by a connector such as cord, wire or rubber bands.

United States Patent [191 Zweigle Sept. 16, 1975 [54] VELOCIPEDENOISEMAKER 2,940,215 6/1960 Munro 46/175 R [75] Inventor: Robert D.Zweigle, Bloomington,

, Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene [7 3] Assignee: Zweigle Advertising,Inc.-, Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting Minneapolis, Minn. 22 Filed:Apr. 17, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 461,544 '[57] ABSTRACT [52] 11.8. C1 46/174; 46/ 175 R; 46/189 A noisemakef for attachment to the frame ofasveloci- [51] lmvCl. A6311 5/00 p A reed ngag he spokes of a wheel andis [5 8] Field of Search 46/174, 175, 189, 191; held n place by fingerswhich partially encircle the 40/ 125 H, 125 F frame. The fingers areheld in place by a connector such as cord, wire or rubber bands.

[56] References Cited 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures l VELOCIPEDENOISEMAKER BACKGROUND A primary object of this invention is to providea' noise making attachment mounted on the frame of a velocipede adjacentone of the spoked wheels.

Much of the prior art such as US. Pat. Nos. 2,940,215, 2,894,357,2,624,156, and 2,736,136 use elaborate methodsof attaching a noisemaking device to the frame of a velocipede. In US. Pat; Nos. such as-136, 357, and 156, the elements used to connect the device to the frameof the velocipede are separate from the noise making reed. Some of thesedevices, like the prior art, are difficult to apply. Examples of thesedifficult to apply devices are illustrated in US. Pat. Nos. -156 and-357. Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a noisemaking device which, can be attached to the frame-of a velocipede whichrequires no special tools such as wrenches, screw drivers or the like.

Other devices such as that illustrated in the U5. Pat.

No. -215 use a relatively insecure methodof attach-,

ment of a device to the frame of a velocipede. The invention, on theother hand, uses a very simple but se cure means of attachment whicheven'a child can master in the application of the noise making device tothe velocipede.

Further, much of theprior art is complicated in design. An illustrationof this complication in design is noted in US. Pat. No. 3,097,447 andU.S. Pat. No. 2,874,514. The invention, on the other hand, is a simple,flexible planar casting which is simple to manufacture and apply. 'It isnot formed from complicatedshapes. In spite of this the inventionembodies all of the advantages of a sounding board in a design which isuncomplicated, easy to attach and easy tomanufacture.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromreference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a noise making'device in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the noisemaker applied to a frame'of avelocipede;

FIG. 3 is afr'ont view of a noise making device in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG..4is a front view of a noise making device applied to the frame of avelocipede; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the method of attachment ofthe noise making device to the frame of a velocipede. 7,

Refer first to FIG. 1 of the drawings which illustrates a plan view ofthe noisemaker 11. The noisemaker 11, as illustrated in a preferredembodiment, is generally rectangular in shape and has first and secondfingers l2 and 13 respectively.- These fingers 12 and 13 extend from afirst end 14 of the noisemaker body 16 and are formed by substantiallyparallel slots ending from the first end 14 above the noisemaker '11.

A second end 17 of the noisemaker 11 is a sounding board 18 whichamplifies the noise which is -generated by reed 19. Reed 19 is betterillustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings where it is shown in contact witha spoke 21 of a spoked wheel 33 of a velocipede. As the spoke 21 movespast the reed 19, it engages the outer end of the reed 19 and bends thereed l9 and releases it for successive contact with the following spoketo generate sound which is amplified by sounding board 18. I

Refer again to FIG. 1 of the drawings in which tabs 22 and 23 areillustrated on a front or first side of the body 16. These tabs 22 and23 are substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of fingers 12and 13 respectively. The tabs 22 and 23 extend from the first side 31 ofthe body 16, as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The tabs 22 and23 can be elongated as illustrated in FIG.1 or they may be simplycylindrical or take a similar shape. What is important is that theyextend far enough from the first side 31 of the body 16 so that aconnecting element can be secured to the tabs 22 and 23 in order toattach the noisemaker 11 to the frame 24 of a velocipede.

The noisemaker 11 also contains a stop means or rib 26 on the body 16opposite tabs 22 and 23 which acts as a stop means forpositioning thenoisemaker 11 on the frame 24. The function of this rib 26 is bestillustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings where it is shown engaging frame24 to prevent the attached noisemaker 11 from slipping around the frame24. A preferred embodiment utilizing this rib 26 is illustrated in FIGS.1

and 2 where the rib 26 is shown to extend from edge to edge of the body16 and is positioned perpendicular necessary. The rib 26 could terminateshort of the edges of the noisemaker 1 1, and it need not be continuousthroughout its length. Added strength is achieved, however, if the rib26 is a continuous rib.

Refer again to FIG. 1 of the drawings which further illustratesapertures 27 and 28 which are located in the body 16 of the noisemaker ll. The apertures 27 and 28 are located in the sounding board 18 andbeyond the location of rib 26. These apertures may be located almostanywhere in or near the sounding board 18 of the body 16, but preferablythey are located just beyond the rib 26 and substantially in alignmentwith tabs 22 and 23 respectively. These apertures 27 and 28 cooperatewith the fingers 12 and 13 and with tabs 22 and 23 respectively to forma means for attaching the noisemaker 11 to the frame 24 of thevelocipede.

The best illustration of the method of attaching the noisemaker 11 tothe frame 24 of a velocipede is illustrated by reference to FIGS. 2 and4 of the drawings. The noisemaker 11 is positioned so that the body 16is substantially perpendicular to the spokes 21 of the velocipede wheel33. The reed 19 is extended into the path of the rotating spoke 21 sothat it will engage the spoke 21.

Each of the fingers 12 and 13 is then wrapped about the frame 24 of thevelocipede. The frame 24 need.

have nospecial shape. It can becircular in cross section, elliptical incross section, or take some irregular shape. The fingers 12 and l3aresufficiently flexible to be wrapped about the frame 24 so that the frame24 is at least partiallyencircledas illustrated in FIG. 4 of thedrawings. Since fingers 12 and 13 must be wrapped to the extentillustrated, and sincethe reed 19 must be capable of repeated flexing,the material used to make the noisemaker 11 is preferably a plasticmaterial such as nylon. There are other plastics that work equally welland also a thin metal sheet might be used to make the noisemaker 11. Thepreferred material, however, is a nylon type plastic because of the factthat the noisemaker 11 may be simply cast with all of the various shapesheretofore described.

After the fingers 12 and 13 are wrapped about the frame 24, one end of arubber band 29 may be placed over tab 22 and extended along thelongitudinal axis of finger 12 to encircle the frame 24 as illustratedin FIG. 4 of the drawings. The unconnected end of the rubber band 29 isthen threaded through aperture 27 from the back side 30 of thenoisemaker ll. Thereafter, the rubber band 29 extends along the frontsurface 31 of the noisemaker 11 and is threaded through aperture 28. Theloose end of the rubber band 29 is then directed along substantially thelongitudinal axis of finger 13 in a direction opposite to that it tookin its placement around finger 12 until the free end of the rubber band29 is looped over tab 23.

Thus positioned, the rubber band 29 will be observed to force, becauseof its resiliency, both fingers l2 and 13 to at least partially encirclethe frame 24 to hold the noisemaker 11 in contact with frame 24 andposition reed 19 in the path of rotation of velocipede spoke 21.

Rib 26 engages surface 32 of the frame 24 and prevents the entirenoisemaker 11 from being rotated about the frame 24 as the spoke strikesthe reed l9 and bends it, as illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings.Again it is noted that this rib 26 preferably extends perpendicular tothe longitudinal axis of the noisemaker 11 which thereby positions thenoisemaker 11 with its longitudinal axis perpendicular to the axis ofthe frame 24. The reed l9 likewise is perpendicular to the rotatingspoke 21 when positioned in this manner.

The noted configuration in FIG. 4 of the drawings illustrates thereed 19in the unflexed position, and the solid drawing shows the reed 19 in theflexed position as it is about to disengage spoke 21. Sounding board 18is vibrated as the reed 19 disengages spoke 21, thereby amplifyingand'enhancing the noise making qualities of the noisemaker ll.

A cord might be used in place of rubber band 29 in order to secure thedevice to the frame 24. If a cord is used, the cord can be placed aboutfingers l2 and 13 respectively and through apertures 27 and 28respectively, as illustrated for the rubber band. Since the cord is notflexible, it may simply be tied about tab 23 in order to complete a loopto secure the noisemaker 11; A similar method of attachment of thedevice may be used if wire is chosen as the securing element. A twist inthe wire may simply be applied to the wire about tab 23 in order tocomplete attachment of the noisemaker 11. i

FIG. 5 of the drawings illustrates a wheel 33 of a velocipede with thenoisemaker 11 attached to a fork 34. As the wheel moves forward, thespokes 21 strike the reed l9 and create a motor-like noise. A singlenoisemaker 11 mightbe used on such a fork 34, or a number of suchdevices may be applied to the fork depending upon the length of the forkor frame. For instance, several noisemakers might be placed on eitherside of fork 34.

The above description of the invention is merely-illustrative of theprinciples of the invention and many variations might be adopted bythose skilled in the art which employ the principles set forth hereimForinstance, the apertures 27 and 28 do not have to be exactly aligned withtabs 22 and 23 but may be unaligned with the tabs 22 and 23 and/or theymay be misaligned with each other. Alignment with these apertures 27 and28 is not critical, although a preferred embodiment is illustrated inFIG. 2 of the drawings in which the apertures 27 and 28 are aligned withtabs 22 and 23 along the longitudinal axis of the fingers 12 and 13respectively.

.Further, the body 16 of the noisemaker 11 need not be of uniformthickness throughout as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The reedand finger portion of the noisemaker 11 might be thicker or thinner thanthe sounding'board 18 of the noisemaker l 1, thereby creating differentsounds and different degrees of flexibility depending upon, of course,the choice of material from which the noisemaker 11 is made. These andother variations might be made to the noisemaker without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A noisemaking device adapted to be attached to a velocipede supportadjacent a spoked wheel which comprises a substantially planar sheet offlexible material forming a body, said body having first and secondfingers, a reed extending from a first end of said body and formed bysubstantially parallel slots extending from said first end andterminating near the center of said body, said reed being intermediatesaid fingers, first and second tabs extending from a first side of saidbody and aligned with the longitudinal axis of said first and secondfingers respectively, said body having first and second apertures insaid'body, stop means on a second side of said body beyond theterminations of said slots and positioned between said tabs andapertures anda connecting element attached to said first and second tabsand engaging said first and second fingers and extending through saidfirst and second apertures to form said first and second fingers aboutsaid support to secure said noisemaking device to said velocipede andhold said reed in position to contact spokes of said spoked wheel.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which said stop means is a ribwhich extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body and islocated near the center of said body and on the side of the body incontact with the velocipede support.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which the connecting elementis made of a non-stretchable material.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which the connecting elementis made of a stretchable .material.

5. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which the connecting elementis a rubber band.

6. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which the body is a plasticmaterial.

7. The structure as defined in claim 2 in which a sounding board andreed are perpendicular to the spoke of the velocipede.

8. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which the fingers are equal inlength to said reed.

9. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which the fingers onlypartially encircle the velocipede support. l

1. A noisemaking device adapted to be attached to a velocipede supportadjacent a spoked wheel which comprises a substantially planar sheet offlexible material forming a body, said body having first and secondfingers, a reed extending from a first end of said body and formed bysubstantially parAllel slots extending from said first end andterminating near the center of said body, said reed being intermediatesaid fingers, first and second tabs extending from a first side of saidbody and aligned with the longitudinal axis of said first and secondfingers respectively, said body having first and second apertures insaid body, stop means on a second side of said body beyond theterminations of said slots and positioned between said tabs andapertures and a connecting element attached to said first and secondtabs and engaging said first and second fingers and extending throughsaid first and second apertures to form said first and second fingersabout said support to secure said noisemaking device to said velocipedeand hold said reed in position to contact spokes of said spoked wheel.2. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which said stop means is a ribwhich extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body and islocated near the center of said body and on the side of the body incontact with the velocipede support.
 3. The structure as defined inclaim 1 in which the connecting element is made of a non-stretchablematerial.
 4. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which the connectingelement is made of a stretchable material.
 5. The structure as definedin claim 1 in which the connecting element is a rubber band.
 6. Thestructure as defined in claim 1 in which the body is a plastic material.7. The structure as defined in claim 2 in which a sounding board andreed are perpendicular to the spoke of the velocipede.
 8. The structureas defined in claim 1 in which the fingers are equal in length to saidreed.
 9. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which the fingers onlypartially encircle the velocipede support.